[A severe late tonsillar hemorrhage 2 months postoperatively]

Tonsilloadenoidectomy performed on an 8-year old girl, in the course of which heavy bleeding from the left niche was staunched by suture ligation, was complicated from the 7th day onwards by severe haemorrhages at intervals from 5 to 25 days, causing life-threatening hypovolaemia. Haemorrhages started mostly in the early morning hours and ceased spontaneously. Revision of the left niche was undertaken shortly after the 5th bleeding two months postoperatively. After removal of the almost completely restituted mucosal covering, spreading of a haemosiderinstained canal released a massive pulsating haemorrhage which was controlled by ligation of the external carotid artery and suturing of the tonsillar bed. As the origin of the haemorrhage, an arterial lesion either by tonsil enucleation or by suture ligation is discussed. Attention is drawn to the possibility that certain branches of the external carotid artery may be positioned very close to the inferior half of the tonsil.